the Jess Journals

Lucy at Work

Jess (Jess) — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 13:27:00 +0000

Top: Tibi (last seen here) | Skirt: All Saints (last seen here) | Shoes: Zara | Clutch: J. Crew (in leather) | Ring: emitations (c/o)

Oh, the versatility of a cropped top! Paired with a high waist skirt, Lucy (the bunny on my shirt) is perfectly work-appropriate. At least now I've figured out a way to bring her everywhere!

Photos by Lauren

Overall Obsessed

Jess (Jess) — Thu, 13 Jun 2013 14:07:00 +0000

Overalls: Topshop | Tank: Michael Stars (in pink) | Bag: Louis Vuitton (new version) | Shoes: Converse

I honestly can't remember the last time I wore overalls, but I fell in love with these! The denim is super soft, and it fits perfectly. I couldn't resist pairing it with a white tank and white shoes - white really is my fave color to wear in warm weather!

Photos by Lauren

Striped & White

Jess (Jess) — Tue, 11 Jun 2013 12:52:00 +0000

I didn't actually buy too much when I was in Europe unfortunately - I ended up coming home with two tops and a dress, but what I love is that they were all from local retailers that aren't found in the US, so I knew I'd be bringing back something more unique than if it were from Zara or Mango! (Sfera) is just like a Zara, and that's where I found the eyelet tank I'm wearing. It's the perfect weight for summer, light and crisp so it won't feel like it's sticking to my skin, and I also love the length of it although you can't see it in these photos since I tucked it in.

The skirt is new and from Topshop, thanks to my gift card, and I love it! It's made of a denim material but the colors are so basic that I know I'll be getting a lot of wear out of it. Plus, it has pockets. Pockets are the way to my heart!

Now let's discuss my jewelry a little bit - I love the purple ring! It's a great size (statement making but not too huge), and really not a bad price. (Neither is the rest of the stuff on emitation's website!) And my bracelets - I'm not sure how it took so long before I posted about my Alex & Ani bracelets, but I love my little mermaid charm! It's so hard to find a mermaid charm that isn't made for the aged 5 and under group, and this one is perfect!

Photos by Lauren

Happy Friday!

Jess (Jess) — Fri, 07 Jun 2013 13:17:00 +0000

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Happy Friday! If only NYC's weather was like the photo above...and if only I were beach-bound this weekend!

Most of my plans this weekend consist of catching up on styling, blogging, and just getting my state of mind back to the grind. I'm also going to check out The Met's Punk: Chaos to Couture exhibit, and go take a Samba and Cha Cha class - I'll finally be getting back into dancing mode, and I can't wait!

If you missed it, make sure to check out my contribution to Keaton Row's forbes.com article, What Every Professional Woman Needs -- The Perfect Blazer, and my latest post for Girl Around Town, How to define your personal style!

What are you up to this weekend?

Lisbon

Jess (Jess) — Thu, 06 Jun 2013 12:56:00 +0000

Jumpsuit: Topshop (similar) | Sweater: J. Crew | Necklace: Chanel | Clutch: Kate Spade | Shoes: Zara

These photos were taken right outside Castle Sao Jorge, which had absolutely amazing views of the city of Lisbon! Lauren and I loved the colored walls on the houses right by the entrance so stopped to snap a few photos.

The jumpsuit I'm wearing is one of my purchases from winning my Topshop gift card, and it's also my first jumpsuit ever! I love the combination of navy and black, and it fit perfectly. Score!

Photos by Lauren

Marbella Part II

Jess (Jess) — Wed, 05 Jun 2013 15:19:00 +0000

These photos were taken at our hotel in Marbella, Hotel Fuerte. How gorgeous are the grounds?

And just for fun, a shot of me and my parents!

Hat: J. Crew | Tee: Ann Taylor | Pants: ASOS (last seen here) | Shoes: Zara

I'm back in New York (arrived last night) and am already missing my parents, missing Europe (and the coffee!) and sadly it's now back to reality...

Happy hump day!

PS. My latest post for Girl Around Town is up! Check it out: Style Q&A: How do I define my personal style?

Photos by Lauren

Marbella

Jess (Jess) — Fri, 31 May 2013 13:00:00 +0000

Top: Forever 21 | Skort: Zara | Shoes: Zara (recent) | Bag: 3.1 Phillip Lim (similar) | Sunglasses: Ray Ban

I was kind of completely accidentally patriotic with this outfit - red, white and blue is just such a great color combination! I know this particular skort has been all over the blogosphere, but it's such a great piece. I love wearing white in summer, and it's cut so flatteringly! I also love the sheer back and faux-leather shoulder patches on the top - which I found that one time Jackie & I went on a midnight shopping spree at Forever 21 in Times Square. I'm also pretty much in love with my newest sandals, which I randomly found at Zara a couple weeks ago - they have a low heel so are comfy, and I love the thin ankle strap and the design at the front of the foot - Zara just makes such great pieces sometimes! I'll admit to have gone into a couple of their stores here in Spain even though it's available in the US - after all, I'm in the motherland!

It's finally warm now that we're in Marbella, and I'm definitely grateful! It's still such a gorgeous city and my family and I have had a great time here so far - I'm glad we spontaneously decided to stay two nights instead of just one. Today we're off to go sightseeing at Alhambra in Granada, then we're off to Seville!

Have a great weekend!

Photos by Lauren

Lucy in Marseille

Jess (Jess) — Tue, 28 May 2013 14:02:00 +0000

Top: Tibi | Jeans: 7 for All Mankind | Belt: Gap | Shoes: Zara

I fell in love with this bunny top pretty much the moment I saw it - I mean, black & white, stripes, and a bunny? (And a cute, non-cartoony one at that!) How could I resist? I didn't realize it was cropped until I tried it on, but then thought it was still pretty cute anyway, especially with the jeans I was wearing at the time (the ones pictured!). I ended up naming the bunny Lucy, only because she's too adorable to not have a name. (Can you tell I kind of just love bunnies?)

These were taken after some breakfast at a random little cafe in Marseille, near the old port. Marseille is gorgeous, although none of us were anticipating how cold it would be! The night we arrived the wind blew like it was trying to blow us away, and it was alarmingly cold for May. I was regretting not bringing a heavier jacket. Luckily the next day was sunny and warm and gorgeous, as we walked around a flea market, sniffing all the lavender and soaps for sale.

PS. Totally finished this post at the Barcelona Apple store - the internet is so fast here!

Photos by Lauren

Happy Friday!

Jess (Jess) — Fri, 24 May 2013 13:05:00 +0000

Who can believe it's already Memorial Day weekend? The official kickoff to summer...and I still feel like the weather hasn't been consistently hot enough to really call it summer yet!

If you haven't already seen it...yesterday I received the awesome news that yesterday's post is one of the featured looks on Lucky community's homepage! (In the rotating banner.) I was so thrilled to see that! Check it out here, although I did capture a handy little screenshot too.

Image via

This Friday is happier than most for me - Lauren and I are off to Paris to meet our parents for their 30th anniversary trip (which they so kindly allowed us to crash, haha). We'll be road tripping through France, Spain and Portugal, and I am beyond excited! I'll finally be returning to Europe after five years, and will be spending (probably much too much) quality time with my family. (Just kidding! Love you guys!)

I plan on taking a million photos (outfit pics included!), eating deliciously fresh, local dishes, and soaking up as much culture (and sun!) as I can.

Follow along with me on Instagram @jessicashia!

Happy Memorial Day weekend! What are your plans?

Revelry

Jess (Jess) — Thu, 23 May 2013 13:02:00 +0000

I fell in love with this skirt as soon as I saw it - the swinginess, the colors, the pleats, oh my! I think Milly is quickly becoming a favorite. The hem is one of my favorite details - the fact that the curves of it are actually stiff and stays that way gives the skirt movement without me even moving!

I also love April's Manifesto tee - the gold foil is so super shiny in person, and just so pretty! Plus, white and gold is one of my favorite color combinations and perfect for summer.

Photos by Ruby Chow (thanks Rubs!!)

Girl Around Town

Jess (Jess) — Wed, 22 May 2013 13:22:00 +0000

Today's post is short and sweet - I did a semi-reveal on Friday about how I'm Girl Around Town's newest contributing editor, and today my first post went up! Check it out here and let me know what you think!

(Thanks for the adorably sweet welcome, Leigh & Mary!)

B&W Classic

Jess (Jess) — Tue, 21 May 2013 14:09:00 +0000

I was having one of those "I have no idea what to wear" days, and decided to stick with an absolute classic color scheme - black and white. (You really can't go wrong with black and white!) And, I decided to use my Julep Matte Top Coat for the second time ever - I love the look of it! The matte effect is perfect for pastel colors. Can't wait to use it with all the rest of my pastel nail colors this summer!

Photos by Lauren

Happy Friday!

Jess (Jess) — Fri, 17 May 2013 13:16:00 +0000

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TGIF! This week kind of flew by for me. I:

-Found out on Monday that I won a $1000 shopping spree at Topshop - amaze, right? Who knew that people actually win these things? Kidding! I actually won to meet Fifth Harmony that same night, but since I confessed that I'm not a huge fan (not that I don't like them, only that I know very little about them, having only watched like one episode of X-Factor when they were on it), they said they'll let someone else meet them and I can just pick up my gift card. Fine by me! Expect to see a lot more Topshop on the blog in the near future - I picked up this bikini, this jumpsuit (which I'm kind of obsessed with), and ordered this dress so far.

-Went on my first Keaton Row national sales call, and discovered I was one of the top stylists for April, and currently am one of the top for May, and the month isn't even over! So exciting!

-Speaking of Keaton Row, my first look (of three) was posted on forbes.com - which is completely thrilling also!

-Am now officially the Resident Stylist at Girl Around Town - check out my bio and headshot on their About page! My first post goes up Wednesday, so I'll be sure to link to it next week! (Have any style questions? Send them my way and your question may be featured on their site!)

This weekend I'm seeing some old friends of mine that I haven't seen in probably years, so I'm really excited for that! What have you got planned for the weekend?

PS. How much do you wish it was hot enough to go to the beach? The image above was taken in Montauk, where I still haven't been yet! This summer I'll make it happen...

You Be Stylin'

Jess (Jess) — Thu, 16 May 2013 12:55:00 +0000

So I've mentioned Keaton Row quite a few times on the blog, but have you ever wondered what an actual Lookbook looks like? I created my first public lookbook to be able to share with all of you!

This is the front cover:

And here's a glimpse of the first page:

When you're on the actual page, you can scroll down to see all the item details. And if I've written a comment or tip on a specific item, there's an underlined " mark in the top left corner of that item.

After scrolling through each look, you get to page where you can view every look and every item, and from there you can shop, or write some feedback (ie whether you need more of this or less of that, or anything else). Pretty cool huh?

Check out the full lookbook here so you can see exactly what I'm talking about!

And, I know that a lot of my readers are pretty stylin' already - have you ever thought about signing up to be a stylist? It's so easy, and so fun!

You can sign up to be a stylist, or sign up to be a client (or refer people who would like to be one or the other), by going here and clicking on the appropriate links. If anyone has any questions, let me know in the comments or email me at thejessjournals (at) gmail.com.

Happy Thursday!

Get That Glow

Jess (Jess) — Wed, 15 May 2013 12:51:00 +0000

Now that the weather is finally warming up, I've been hyper-aware of how pale I am after this long, longgggg winter. Some of the effects of winter was a dryness I wasn't accustomed to - my skin normally behaves pretty well, but this winter was harsh on my cheeks in particular, and really drying! Here are a few products I've found to help me recapture that summery, warm-weather glow:

Elle has sang the praises of Boscia's Tsubaki Oil (#1) so I gave it a try during Sephora's Chic Week. Not only does it smell amazing, but it really did give me almost an instant glow - for the first time I found that I didn't even really need foundation or anything to make my skin even and pretty. Amaze!

Then, I read about overnight moisturizing masks in Elle magazine (article here, if you're interested), and decided to try Clinique's Moisture Surge Overnight Mask (#2) out. I love it. I use it a few times a week, and my cheeks are never dry the next morning! I wish it came in a travel size so I could bring it on the plane with me, but I would totally just squeeze some into a small container to use on a long flight. (Also, think of it like a heavier lotion rather than a mask - it doesn't make your face look alien-like while you have it on, and it absorbs as you sleep so you don't need to wash it off.)

I know I sang the praises of Smashbox's BB Cream last time, but I realized that I'm really just in between two shades at the moment so I returned the one I had and ended up getting a CoverGirl (#3) one that I love! It's under $10 as well, so it's a great price point, and the light-medium was the perfect shade for me. I don't use this every day, just on days where I feel like wearing a little more makeup than mascara and blush!

After using the above three products (or two, if I chose not to use the BB cream on a particular day), I dust my face with some pressed powder (I use mark.'s Powder Buff in 5 - light medium), use an angled blush brush with my new favorite blush, Jouer's Bloom (#4) on my cheeks (discovered when I had my makeup done at the Joie & Birchbox event last week - I love it because it's matte!), and then brush on some mascara and use a little of my eyebrow pencil, and I'm glowing and out the door!

PS. This isn't related to "glowing" at all, but I recently discovered this eyeliner and it's amazing. Super intense color but in a self-sharpening pencil form. I love it!

Leafy

Jess (Jess) — Tue, 14 May 2013 12:55:00 +0000

Sunday was a gorgeous, albeit really windy, day, and after brunch on the Upper West Side we rather spontaneously went to check out Smorgasburg in Dumbo. I was too full to eat anything after brunch, but tried an Arnold Palmer slushie with white peach mixed in. It was delicious!

I fell in love with these leaf-print shorts when I saw them, and the moment I touched them I knew they had to come home with me. They're super soft and light, and will be perfect as the weather heats up!

Checking out the view - pretty amazing huh?

...and just for your amusement, here's a photo of Lauren's boyfriend photobombing us:

How rude.

Finally, did you see the look I styled for Keaton Row on Forbes.com? Keaton Row is now officially a style contributor for the site, and they asked me to style a few looks for them. Check out the first one here!

Photos by Lauren, except the last one, which is by Lawrence.

Happy Friday!

Jess (Jess) — Fri, 10 May 2013 13:18:00 +0000

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Happy Friday!

How was your week? Mine was kinda nuts. I worked at Intermezzo, the accessories & clothing trade show that went on at the piers this week, and it was my first trade show. It was tiring, but cool to see more of the industry and how it all works, which I always love to find out more about!

This weekend a friend from HK will be in town, and I'm going to SELF's Workout in the Park tomorrow, which I've always wanted to attend but never did, so I'm excited!

All right, I'm off to finish up some more projects that need my attention before I go hang out on the rooftop - it'll be bright and warm and sunny today in NYC - take a chance to get outside!

PS. How perfect is the above outfit for a weekend? Slouchy, distressed jeans and an easy relaxed sweater...perfection!

Have a great weekend!

Power Suit

Jess (Jess) — Thu, 09 May 2013 13:01:00 +0000

Blazer: mark. | Top: Topshop | Pants: ASOS | Necklace: Chanel | Shoes: Zara

I really love high-waist pants, and don't own enough of them! They are perfect for my body type - it raises my waistline and therefore makes my legs look longer, which I obviously love.

In this particular outfit, the blazer made me feel very slouchy, 80's and early 90s business woman!

Photos by Ruby Chow

Recipe Review: Homemade Pesto & Pesto Chicken Wrap

Jess (Jess) — Wed, 08 May 2013 11:11:00 +0000

I love pesto sauce, probably even more so since I found out I was allergic to tomatoes a couple years ago and therefore have a limit to how much I can eat. (I'm only mildly allergic, luckily!) I'd never made it myself, but when I came across this recipe for a healthier, "skinny" version, I decided to try it! It's surprisingly easy, and tastes so good!

Then, continuing the theme of eating healthily without sacrificing taste or your budget, I'm going to share a recipe for a pesto chicken wrap!

Ingredients for the pesto:

3 cups basil leaves (which is just about 1 pack from Trader's)

1/2 cup raw almonds

1 garlic clove, coarsely chopped (I used 2, since I buy most of my ingredients from Traders and their garlic is so tiny!)

3/4 teaspoon sea salt

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

To make the pesto:

Combine the basil, almonds, garlic and salt in a food processor and pulse until somewhat mealy. (I find it easier to slowly add in the bunches of pesto, stop the food processor, and move it around to get the leaves down, then add more and repeat. Patience is another ingredient necessary for this part!) Gradually add the olive oil, processing until the mixture is finely chopped yet still has texture. Pulse in the lemon juice.

Ingredients for the wrap (makes 4):

4 flour tortillas or wraps 10-inch diameter.

4 tbsp pesto

1/2lb thinly sliced lean deli chicken (don't substitute for turkey - it really doesn't taste as good, trust me!)

1 small Roma tomato

8 crisp Romaine lettuce leaves

Place tortilla on a work surface and spread 1 tablespoon of pesto on it, leaving a 1-inch border. Divide the chicken and tomato among the wraps and then cover with lettuce. (I actually put the chicken on top of the lettuce to keep it in the wraps easier and weigh it down a little.) Fold in the ends and roll them up tightly. (This is the trickiest part, but you can do it!)

PS. The reason I don't have a photo of the end result of the wrap is because I could never wrap it prettily enough. Apparently my skillZ don't extend to that area!

Recipes from Candice Kumai's Pretty Delicious

Oxford Classic

Jess (Jess) — Tue, 07 May 2013 11:12:00 +0000

I love this oxford shirt from Gap so much that I literally have it in 3 colors - white, a brighter, more vivid medium blue, and this light blue. It's so soft and comfortable, like a chambray but even softer! And I love pairing it with fresh, clean white skinny jeans and brown accessories to keep the whole effect light and summery.

Photos by Ruby Chow

Happy Friday!

Jess (Jess) — Fri, 03 May 2013 13:04:00 +0000

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Happy Friday!!

Who can believe it's May already? I certainly cannot, especially since it still isn't quite hot here in the city yet. I'm trying to enjoy it though, as Spring never lasts very long before we dive head first into a hot, humid, and lonnnnnggg summer!

This weekend I don't have a ton of plans, which is something I actually value a lot. I mainly plan on sitting outside this weekend to enjoy the sunshine (just like the girl in the photo above, except I think I'll have to do some work - blog posts, a new, exciting venture I have coming up and hope to announce soon, and of course my styling business!), and see a few friends in between. And on Cinco de Mayo, all I want to do is eat nachos and drink margs. Yum.

Next week my life will finally be a little less crazy - I finished the training for adult literacy last night, which is insane, and ballroom finished the week before. Speaking of ballroom though, I found another Groupon for 3 months of unlimited Latin dancing (and ballet, randomly) and will be starting that up a week from now. I've honestly just fallen right back in love with dancing - it's so fun! If you haven't tried latin/ballroom, I highly suggest trying it if you have any interest at all. I get such a high from it that I don't get from any other form of exercise, even ballet, which I love.

I hope you all have a great weekend! Anything fun planned?

Mini

Jess (Jess) — Thu, 02 May 2013 12:46:00 +0000

It was finally warm enough for a miniskirt this weekend! I normally live in minis in warm weather and was psyched to finally wear one this year. Plus, I love this particular one because it's made of a thick, soft knit material, and hello - look at the colors and print! It was love at first sight.

Photos by Lauren

Present

Jess (Jess) — Wed, 01 May 2013 12:44:00 +0000

Coat: Lilly Pulitzer (similar) | Bag: Alexander Wang | Shoes: Zara (similar) | Sunglasses: Oliver Peoples

There were a few things that attracted me to this particular coat:

1. The collar. It's so...royal!

2. The pink lining - I love little details like that!

3. The A-line - it's practically a dress when worn completely buttoned up like I am here!

4. The material. It's the perfect weight when a trench is too stuffy but it's still somewhat cool out. In other words, it's the perfect spring coat!

5. And last but not the least, the bow. It makes me feel like a present! (Hence the title of this post.) Lol.

Photos by Lauren

Happy Friday!

Jess (Jess) — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 14:55:00 +0000

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Happy Friday! How happy are you that it's nearly the weekend? It's been a pretty busy week for me so I'm so grateful the next two days will be spent focusing solely on...me!

-Highlight of this week: Being chosen as Lucky Magazine's Cute Outfit of the Day on Tuesday! This was the second time (first time was for Wink), and I think I had heart palpitations for half an hour after I found out.Check it out here! (This also earned me the "Editor's Favorite" badge, which you can see to the right on my blog.)
-Duh moment of the week: On Wednesday I brought my camera to work so that Lauren and I could take outfit photos during our lunch break, and then I accidentally left my camera at work. This is why there was no outfit post yesterday. I was kicking myself! And that wasn't the only day I'd forgotten things - I swear my memory is just getting worse all the time. Maybe it's time to start popping the gingko-biloba?
-On Tuesday, Lauren and I went to a Popsugar Fitness event in Soho, which included a 30-minute workout by Anna Kaiser of AKT In Motion. It was the most intense 30 minutes of my life, I swear. Granted, I'm not in tip-top shape by any means since I've mostly only been doing low-impact exercise like ballroom dancing and yoga, but still. My entire body was sore for 2 days after.

This weekend:
-I'm excited it's finally decently warm on a weekend, and I'm hoping it'll be warm enough to hang out on the rooftop!
-I really do intend on spring cleaning my closet - I didn't get around to it last weekend since I was just so tired from all my activities on Saturday. Plus, I just joined Poshmark to make it easy to sell off the things I don't wear anymore (or haven't worn at all), so it's even more of an incentive to just do it! Have you used Poshmark? Or Threadflip? I'd love to hear about your experience if you have, or if you have another recommendation!
-My last ballroom class is tomorrow, sadly! But I really do intend to keep up with it, at least for the social dancing.

What are you up to this weekend, or how was your week?

Recipe Review: Lox Sandwiches

Jess (Jess) — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 12:25:00 +0000

One of the things I've been doing lately is being more mindful of how and where I'm spending my money. One thing that can really add up is eating lunch out every day, especially in NYC. So I was looking for tasty, easy, quick recipes for lunch to bring to work every day, and this recipe is perfect! (It still counts as a recipe even though it's just a sandwich, right?)

The original recipe is to make and serve all 4 sandwiches at once, however I just made the cream cheese and left the leftovers in a small glass bowl, covered it with saran wrap/glad wrap/cling film (whatever you call it) and put it in the fridge.

Ingredients:

4 oz 1/3-less fat Neufchatel cheese (or low fat cream cheese)

1/4 cup chopped fresh dill

2 tsps dried chives or 1 heaping tbsp chopped fresh chives

1/2 tsp sea salt

8 slices of bread (pumpernickel in the original recipe, but I used rye)

12 thin slices of smoked salmon

Mix the cream cheese, dill, chives, and salt together in a medium bowl until smooth. Spread 1 tbsp on each slice of bread. Lay 3 slices of lox on a slice of bread, cover with another to make a sandwich. Cut in half and serve (or stick one in a sandwich bag and take it to work)!

Overall the recipe was super easy - the hardest part was mixing the cheese, dill and chives until it was smooth, but once done, that was it! (Did you know how fresh and delicious dill smells just on its own? I'd never chopped dill before so it was pleasantly surprising! In fact, Lauren said they should make a perfume out of the scent of dill when I offered her a smell. She's pretty funny.) As a bonus, every morning after making the cream cheese it only took 5 minutes to assemble another sandwich. Done and done.

Original recipe from Candice Kumai's Pretty Delicious

For all Recipe Reviews, click here